15 June 1999

Scotland's Nessie Sighted - On The Internet

It may be the ultimate 'one that got away' story - did a Texas couple actually catch Nessie in their Internet-based trawling net? A couple watching via the Internet claim they did see the shy and retiring (and, some contend, mythical) Loch Ness monster and national mascot of Scotland.

Nora and Mike Jones, of Texas said they spied the elusive beastie on live pictures transmitted via the Web from a fixed camera on the shore of the narrow highland lake.

"We saw a head and neck appear in front of the castle and it was travelling fairly fast, with a V-shaped wake behind it. We watched till it swam off screen," Nora said on the web site www.lochness.scotland.net.

Scotland On Line, which runs the site, said the Galveston couple were the first ever to have seen Nessie on the Internet.

"Experts on the Nessie phenomena believe that this sighting ties in with past incidents," the page read.

"Most previous sightings have occurred during the longer days of June. It is believed Nessie may be disoriented by the later daylight hours and emerge while it is still possible to see her."

More than 3,000 people claim to have witnessed something bizarre emerging from the murky depths of the 23-mile long lake.

The first sighting is said to have happened in the year 565, when St Columba reported a strange beast in the waters.